Search the collections at the Center for Jewish History
Center for Jewish History: General Information
Lillian Goldman Reading Room
Ackman and Ziff Family Genealogy Institute
The Center for Jewish History's Lillian Goldman Reading Room serves the public not only by providing access to open-stack reference materials on a range of subjects, but also a quiet research space for the public to use these materials and the collections of our five partner organizations. The Reading Room is staffed by professional librarians and archivists who are on-hand to answer questions about how to search for and use requested collections. For an updated list of the Center's Reading Room hours, policies, and procedures, please visit our research guide, Archival Research at the Center.
Each partner organization featured in this HIAS research guide has different policies regarding usage of their collection material. If you have any additional questions regarding how to request, use, or obtain reproductions of the HIAS collections found at the Center after reading this guide, please contact CJH's Reference Staff at inquiries@cjh.org.
AJHS
This collection is open to all researchers by permission of the Director of Collections and Engagement of the American Jewish Historical Society, except items that are restricted due to their fragility or for reasons of privacy. Privacy restrictions are generally removed after 72 years from the date of the most recent documents in a given folder.
The AJHS HIAS collection contains over 700 boxes of material. Due to its size, it is housed at an off-site storage location. If you would like to use HIAS materials, please send your requests at least two (2) business days in advance of your visit. After identifying both the box and folder titles you would like to view from the HIAS Finding Aid, please email the AJHS Reference Archivist at reference@ajhs.org to begin the request process.
This collection contains audiovisual and electronic media that requires special equipment to access. Please be aware that not all formats can be accessed in their current format without digitization. Please notify reference staff at reference@ajhs.org at least 24 hours in advance of needing access to discuss digitization pricing for inaccessible formats.
YIVO
To view collection microfilm, please create a user account at libraryservices.cjh.org/aeon and request materials via the Center's online catalog at search.cjh.org.
Access to the physical collection materials in YIVO's HIAS collection are restricted to their fragility and sensitivity. If you have questions about these materials, please contact the following heads of department:
Paper materials, records, art works, and artifacts
Chief Archivist: archives@yivo.cjh.org
Photographs and films
Photo and Film Archivist: Photofilm@yivo.cjh.org
Sound recordings
Sound Archivist: lsklamberg@yivo.cjh.org
LBI
LBI's collections are open to researchers. To view collection microfilm, please create a user account at libraryservices.cjh.org/aeon and request materials via the Center's online catalog at search.cjh.org.